US embassy cable - 03TEGUCIGALPA1858

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 001858 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/PDA (OHILTON); WHA/CEN 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, PREL, KPAO, PGOV, IZ, HO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DRUGS, AUGUST 4, 2003 
 
 
1. Op-ed by Marlin Oscar Avila in Tegucigalpa-based moderate 
daily "El Heraldo" on 8/2 entitled "Drug trafficking and 
corruption". "Drug trafficking has never been a secret in 
Honduras. The considerable rise of organized crime can only occur 
the way it has up to now with the complicity of the authorities, 
not only from the police but also from the country's powerful 
elites. The increase in drug production and trafficking has grown 
even more with the predominance of free markets in our globalized 
world." 
 
"In Central America, we have doubts about the credibility of our 
authorities, particularly our Congressmen, who have been accused 
of being involved with international drug trafficking networks. 
However, the people's doubts are not limited to the Congressmen 
who are now detained for their apparent participation in this 
dirty business. They have reached the belief that some electoral 
campaigns have been financed with dirty or laundered money coming 
from private banks or other sources." 
 
"The recent hits against organized crime, both in Nicaragua and 
Honduras, have given us a little hope that things may improve in 
favor of our democracy. There's no doubt that Nicaraguan 
President Enrique Bolanos is making a commendable effort to fight 
corruption. Also, President Maduro is having some success against 
the cocaine cartels, even though in the struggle against 
corruption, we can't say he's been successful so far." 
 
1. Article in Tegucigalpa-based moderate daily "El Heraldo" on 
8/4 entitled "Honduras requests helicopters". "The Honduran 
Minister of Defense Federico Breve stated, `The US must 
acknowledge that Honduras is fighting drug trafficking, thus it 
should provide more logistical support including the donation of 
helicopters. At the beginning of the Maduro administration, the 
US offered six helicopters, but Honduras had to pay US$ 4.1 
million for them. We need them urgently, but we just can't pay 
for them'." 
 
"Breve added, `I think we are demonstrating our determination 
with everything we've done this year, for instance, the quantity 
of cocaine we've seized this year is really a record for 
Honduras. This is commendable, and I believe it has to be 
acknowledged by the US'." 
 
 
Pierce